Construction machines or vehicles, such as skid steers and compact loaders, generally include a chassis and a ground-engaging traction device coupled to the chassis and adapted to move the chassis along the ground. The chassis supports a cab in which the operator sits and operates the construction machine. A construction implement, such as a bucket, forklift, pile driver or grapple, is movably coupled to the chassis by lift arms, and is operated by the operator using controls located in the cab. Such construction machines often hold significant mass at the end of the lift arms. Such mass shifts the center of mass of the construction machine. Forces applied to mass at the end of the arms can cause instability. Terrains, such as jobsites, in which construction vehicles often operate are prone to being uneven. As a construction machine traverses uneven terrain, any instability presented by the holding of mass at a distance from the center of mass is potentially exposed. This exposed instability often results in a bumpy ride where the inertia of the mass of the implement imparts swaying (most prominently vertical swaying, but swaying in all directions is experienced). Such swaying can take portions of the ground-engaging traction device out of contact with the ground.
Accordingly, the concept of ride control was developed. Ride control, when activated, attaches an accumulator to hydraulic lines that impart movement to the lift arms. The attachment of the accumulator provides a “softer” connection between the lift arms and the cab. Thus, when uneven terrain imparts movement on the lift arms, implement, and any payload thereon, movement thereof is dampened by the accumulator and less movement is translated to the cab and the user. Thus, a smoother ride having increased likelihood of keeping the ground-engaging traction device in contact with the ground is provided.
However, as previously mentioned, attaching the accumulator to the hydraulic lines that impart movement to the lift arms provides a “softer” connection having reduced stiffness. When the implement is being used, such as when a bucket is being driven into a pile of dirt, stiffness is desired. A softer connection allows arm and implement deflection and reduces penetration into the pile. Accordingly, the effects of ride control are not desired for all times.
To this end, ride control is provided as a feature that can be turned on or off. Some implementations have placed the ride control switch outside of the cab such that a user has to exit the vehicle to turn it on or off.
It would be beneficial to provide a construction machine or vehicle having an improved mechanism for activating and deactivating ride control, such that the operator could more readily activate and deactivate ride control. It would be of further benefit if such mechanism also allowed the operator to activate and deactivate ride control while the vehicle is in motion.